UK businesses lead global push as AI investment & adoption surge

New research from Capgemini reveals that organisational investment in generative AI is expected to accelerate across the globe, with UK businesses emerging as prominent agents of change in adopting the technology.

The Capgemini Research Institute report, entitled 'Harnessing the value of AI: Unlocking scalable advantage', surveyed 1,100 executives from organisations worldwide, drawing insights from sectors including telecoms, consumer products, aerospace, and defence. The survey focused on enterprise-level companies, all with annual revenues exceeding USD $1 billion, and explored trends, concerns, and the speed of AI adoption.

Investment rises

The report indicates that 61% of global organisations plan to increase investments in generative AI over the coming year, reflecting the speed at which the technology is gaining traction. In the last 12 months, 88% of organisations have raised their generative AI budgets by an average of 9%, with around 12% of IT budgets now dedicated to this area. Capgemini's data shows this trend is expected to persist.

In the UK, organisations appear particularly optimistic about the future impact of generative AI. The research found that 84% of UK organisations expect AI agents will be operating in teams and managing at least one business process within three to five years. This is seen as positioning UK businesses competitively on the global stage in terms of AI-led transformation.

Scaling up and transformation

The adoption and scale of generative AI is advancing rapidly. Around 30% of organisations worldwide now report they are fully or partially scaling generative AI, up from just 6% in 2023. Furthermore, 93% are either exploring, piloting, or enabling generative AI in some capacity in 2025. The sectors leading AI implementation are telecommunications, consumer products, and aerospace and defence, with common applications found in customer operations, marketing, risk management, and IT.

Despite this progress, the move towards human-AI collaboration presents operational challenges. Nearly two-thirds of executives agree restructuring of teams will be necessary to make these collaborations effective, anticipating significant changes in organisational structures as a result.

"Enterprise adoption of AI is scaling faster than almost any technology we've seen before, with companies experimenting with AI across all functions. But rapid adoption doesn't necessarily translate into large scale deployment with tangible ROI," said Franck Greverie, Chief Technology & Portfolio Officer, Head of the Global Business lines and Group Executive Board Member at Capgemini. "To succeed, enterprises must set up a solid data foundation, in a trusted environment that's compliant, secure and ensures necessary privacy. This, along with a new operating model with a balanced human-AI chemistry, can ensure winning business outcomes."

AI agents and trust

The report notes an increase in the use and complexity of AI agents, with nine in ten executives in areas such as product design, marketing, and sales predicting AI agents will handle at least one business process within their functions in the next three to five years. Additionally, 45% of organisations scaling AI agents are piloting or developing multi-agent systems, while nearly 38% expect these agents to become self-learning with minimal human supervision over the same period.

The growing reliance on AI agents comes with concerns regarding oversight and governance. The research finds that 71% of organisations do not fully trust autonomous AI agents for enterprise use. Just 46% have established governance frameworks, and among those, adherence to set policies is rare. There is an acknowledged need for improved regulatory controls and guardrails to support responsible AI adoption.

Environmental and legal aspects

Environmental impact is another consideration in the scale-up of generative AI. The survey found that 56% of UK organisations believe the benefits of generative AI outweigh its environmental costs, higher than the 51% global average. Nonetheless, only 28% of organisations currently have legal teams equipped to address risks related to copyright and intellectual property, a figure Capgemini describes as critically low given the velocity of AI deployment.

Operational impacts and cost

Organisations expanding their generative AI programmes have encountered operational side-effects, such as increased cloud consumption costs. More than half reported unexpected expenses or 'bill shocks' as a result of faster-than-planned scaling. In response, many are turning to smaller language models to better contain costs and drive efficiency.

The Capgemini survey methodology highlights its global scope, with input from executives at director level and above across 11 sectors and 15 countries. This report is the third edition, enabling comparison and trend analysis versus prior years.